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5 Tips for Making the Most of Your Vacation Days

By: Sonja Saxe @thenationalparksgirl

By: The Outbound Collective + Save to a List

This post will be applicable mainly to my fellow Americans as we are the only industrialised country that does not have any government mandated time off. In France, for example, employees are guaranteed five weeks of vacation in addition to holidays. Let me repeat that: five weeks of vacation. In the US you won’t find employees with that sort of vacation time until they retire! Here, most companies offer two weeks off as a starting vacation policy. If you live far from your family it’s nearly impossible to make it home for the holidays and have any sort of time off left for a longer trip. Add in time-eating events such as doctor appointments, unexpected illnesses, children’s recitals or sporting events and you may not have enough time to even take a long weekend away.

Additionally, some companies discourage their employees from using accrued time off despite the fact that it has been proven that employees who use all of their vacation days actually end up happier and more productive than their coworkers who let vacation days pile up unused (source: Forbes/ Lifestyle). One of the theories to this is that vacations reenergise us, give us a short but necessary break from our job while also giving us time to remember the passion that inspired us to start that career in the first place. While post-vacation blues are certainly a thing, trips -even short weekend trips- give me something to look forward to and get me through even the toughest days at work.

While some social media accounts and blogs may have you thinking the only way you can see the world is by quitting your job, selling all your possessions, and piling your family into a sprinter van I am here to tell you that is not necessary. For some people that works and that’s great but it’s not feasible for all of us to do that. So for all my fellow weekend-warriors, here are some tips and tricks I use to make the most out of my allotted time off.


1. 
Take the red-eye flight home

This is one of those experiences that is absolutely awful for a day but it has also allowed me to take more trips and use less vacation time so I continue to do it. It gives me an entire extra day to explore. There have been instances I’ve been out backpacking, hike out to the car, drive to another trailhead, complete a second hike, clean up in a truck stop, repack my bags, and drive to the airport for a midnight flight and land with just enough time to make it to work. I’m exhausted but usually running on a high from the trip I just completed that gives me just enough energy to make it through the day.


2. Take advantage of long holiday weekends

I love three day weekends. They are the easiest way to take a quick trip without using a single day off. Every Labor Day and Memorial Day weekend I have a trip planned, recent holiday weekends have included a long weekend in Oregon, one in Washington (before I moved there), and Utah. Using long weekends and pairing them with a red-eye Monday night flight allow me to make the absolute most of my vacation time. I occasionally like to take the whole week off as well as it allows me to use only four vacation days but have nine full days to travel. 


3. See if you can find optometrists, dentists, etc. that offer extended hours

When I discovered that my dentist offered extended hours on Thursday and Saturday appointments I was thrilled. I no longer had to use a few hours of my time off for teeth cleanings. Since then I have also looked into finding optometrists and doctors who offer similar hours, although, finding doctors who work on Saturday has proven tricky.


4. Take local weekend trips

This is one of the easiest ways to get outside and explore. There is beauty all around us and it’s easy to take our home for granted, especially when we scroll through our social media feeds and constantly see people in exotic far-away lands while we’re sitting on the couch or in our office break room. This winter I made a list of places I want to explore in my own backyard; instead of flying to any of those dreamy locations on my bucket-list, I’m going to explore my state and the surrounding area. I know I’m a bit lucky since I live in Washington and have neighbours like Oregon and Idaho but I think every region is beautiful in its own way!


5. Pack your trip with stops!

I will be the first to admit this isn’t for everybody but sunrise to sunset itineraries filled with stops is my M.O. I know plenty of people like to relax on their vacations but I like to fill mine with as much adventure as I can, regularly packing a few hikes in each day or doing back to back backpacking trips. It’s really amazing how long a day can seem when you fill it with activities, as the sun is setting that sunrise hike that happened only 12 hours prior can feel as if it occurred days ago! A recent Arizona itinerary went as follows (and to be honest I felt like we had quite a bit of free time):

Friday - Arrive in Tucson

Saturday - Hike to Watson Peak and explore Saguaro National Park

Sunday - Drive 5 hours to Petrified Forest National Park, backpack to the Painted Desert

Monday - Hike out of the Painted Desert, drive 3 hours to the Grand Canyon, pick up backpacking permit, watch sunset at Lipan Point

Tuesday - Backpack to Tanner Beach

Wednesday - Hike out of Tanner Beach, drive 1.5 hours to Peach Springs and stay in hotel

Thursday - Drive to Hualapai Hilltop and backpack to Havasu

Friday - Saturday - Explore Havasu, hike out, drive to Las Vegas

Sunday AM - Fly home

I create itineraries like this constantly. They’re tiring but they’re also exhilarating and exciting and I have yet to regret packing my trips to the brim with adventure

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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